MOVING PICTURES

“You know what the problem with Hollywood is? They make shit. Unbelievable, unremarkable shit.” Words uttered by John Travolta playing the character Gabriel in Swordfish (2001). On some levels i agree. However, this is true of moving pictures produced in all countries. As a child, i was fixated on the special effects churned out by Hollywood with weak and often formulaic plots. Since then i have gradually turned to World Cinema, primarily Latin American, French, Italian and Spanish cinema. Be that as it may, i have not joined the circle of snobs who vehemently proclaim the superiority of world cinema. Both Hollywood and the European studios produce different art forms existing under one umbrella, and most importantly produce their equal share of shit. Film genre is not important, it is the creativity that goes into it and the quality of the output, the art, regardless of background. A growing number of people denote their identity through their association with film genres, music genres, and through various other popular mediums which they feel reflect their personna. Ridiculous. Nevertheless, art, and for this arguments sake, film, is an entity to be enjoyed, to provide entertainment and only that, and whether it is the critically acclaimed Hollywood masterpiece “The Departed”, or the equivelant quality Italian picture “The Consequences Of Love”, neither exist within the boundaries of nationality and genre, they are simply moving pictures.